Solar-Powered Enhanced Oil Recovery Saves Natural Gas

Date:10/16/2012

Company:Glasspoint

Source:ChEnected

Enhanced oil recovery currently uses a vast amount of energy: 1.7 quadrillion btu of gas around the world every year. According toGlassPoint Chief Executive Rod MacGregor, even though natural gas prices are currently at historic lows, a large cost of operating a heavy oil field is from purchasing natural gas.

GlassPoint, a small startup, makes steam for enhanced oil recovery more cheaply by using the sun, particularly in overseas markets with higher gas prices. Solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is easy to operate: Lightweight, 20-foot mirrors reflect light from the inside of a glasshouse (to eliminate oil field dust) onto water pipes that generate and inject steam into the wells. The video in the right window gives a good look at the technology.